[Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History

[Aditya Raj Kaul]

As I said before I have nothing in personal terms to with ABVP. I just want
a picture of any episode to be given in the right perspective (not rightist
or leftist). Hope you understand this last time. But, what astonishes me is
what the hell has ABVP and the rightist done to some odd people out there
that they just can't dijest anything related to Hindu's; they are just not
happy to call themselves Hindu's or be Hindu's ? They do believe in freedom
of expression but no freedom of religion. Freedom of expression surely means
in today's times according to leftist to carve out nude Godess's in
paintings; to write ill about Ram in TEXTBOOKS or propogate negative details
about Ramayana etc etc. Aren't the leftist intellectuals a bit positive
about things ? Why do they have a problem with just everything and almost
all times no solutions ? As one of my senior friends in this forum suggests
in India the leftist should be called "Limousine Leftists". They are filthy
rich, roam around in luxury cars, stay in palaces; eat grand food from the 5
Star's and still talk things as a leftist. I just can't stop laughing; their
failure and current state amuses me.

Sir, Courts - The Judiciary is a very important pillar and has a major role
to play. Why can't a judge take sue motto cognigance when he see's gross
injustice taking place ? Let me remind you this happened with a few cases of
Godhra. But, on the other hand Kashmiri Pandit's have been killed, looted,
raped...they were displaced and still no court, law enforcement agency, your
leftist etc. came to raise their plight or human rights violation. The left
oriented lobby of Arundhati Roy, Kuldeep Nayar, Rajender Sachhar, Gautam
Navlakha, Sonia Jabbar etc. are hell bent on saving a killer Yasin Malik of
JKLF from the Courts; instead they have been praising this fake person as a
Gandhian. What more can I now expect from your leftist mates ?

I surely won't get Nandigram in betweeen here as you have done with Babri
Masjid. Let me tell that just nothin happened in Babri Masjid on that day
which people in this forum keep blabbering about; what had happened in real
was in Kashmir and before that Babri Masjid episode. More than 400 temples
of Kashmir were destroyed, descreated and in some places Masjid's were
suddenly built. They even didn't leave the Shamshaan Ghat's there. The civil
society, media, human rights and you remained silent; as you do till date.

Do I have a Hope left now ? Would you get us Justice ? To indepth understand
this issue do read our campaign blog @
http://www.kashmiris-in-exile.blogspot.com/

I would not like to carry out a debate in this form where we only indulge in
blame game; not only you but me as well. The picture is clear in front of
us; let each soul decide what is the truth behind this History Department
episode.

With Regards,
Aditya Raj Kaul





On 3/4/08, TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
>
> I am really not sure if your assumption that everything that is not BJP or
> ABVP is left is correct. Where does left come in this entire debate? The
> ABVP goons are not after any leftist's blood. They seem to be after the
> daughter of the P.M.
> Some guys on this list seem to be blaming everything on left for every ill
> of the society. Very soon we might hear that it was the left lobby that
> demolished the Mosque in Ayodhya. May be the goons who attacked history
> department and those who commited the murder in Bhopal were left oriented
> ABVP goons.
> Are the judges sitting in the courts left oriented?
> So the left lobby should be given free land on Jantar mantar where they
> can
> protest for every non-issue. How about enlightening the left lobby,
> whatever
> it means, what should they have done about the cartoons? Protested against
> the protests? And how about the issue of repression of the politicians in
> Bangladesh? About the issues of Sudan, Kenya and Russia?
> I am really sympathetic to you for the court's injustice in all the cases.
> The court tells your chief minister to visit the murderer? Was it on the
> request of the court that the movies are banned in India. Does court tell
> you to attack the professors? Does court sanctions violence in university
> campuses?
>
> ----- Original Message -----
> From: "Aditya Raj Kaul" <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> To: <reader-list at sarai.net>
> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 3:39 PM
> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
>
>
> > The court surely does come in at each and every point. In Priyadarshini
> > Mattoo Case it was the Court who allwed th prisoner to roam free on
> > benefit
> > of doubt for nearly 7 years. In this particular case as well Supreme
> Court
> > is the one to initiate any action. The govt. may do anything  but the
> > court
> > has to act by law at the end of the day. The law enforcement agencies
> need
> > to be taken to task for their biased attitude; so what be it on Govt.
> > pressure. The Law enforcement agencies by moral right n duty have to be
> > neutral.
> >
> > I'm no ABVP supporter that I would save those people or support them;
> but
> > what we know through media is only half truth which is being portrayed.
> I
> > don't have anything further to say on this.
> >
> > Now, who is using Ram in a negative connotation is quite evident by the
> > media reports in last few days. What remains the truth is again somewhat
> > invisible ? Is whatever that media shows truth ? A lot of understanding
> > and
> > indepth investigation may answer these questions.
> >
> > Its surely sad that politics is being playes on the name of RAM. But,
> one
> > shouldn't keep mum and standstill and bear all abuses on his/her
> religion.
> > Wasn't the cartoon of Prophet Mohommad by a Danish reporter a form of
> > freedom of expression ? Where was this left lobby at that time ? If I'm
> > not
> > wrong protesting at Jantar Mantar against the freedom of expression.
> Lets
> > not change our political views with every other religion.
> >
> > Thanks
> > Aditya Raj
> >
> >
> > On 3/4/08, TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
> >>
> >> No less than the chief minister visited the murderer and who you might
> >> consider the upholder of Indian culture, in the prison. The only
> witness
> >> who
> >> came forward to testify was forced to recant by MP police. Where does
> the
> >> court come in to this?
> >>
> >> It is irony of Hindu religion and more so that of  Ram, that his name
> has
> >> been misappropriated and now being dragged in to politics by murderers,
> >> liars, profiteers, opportunists.
> >>
> >> It is interesting though that your last couple messages talked more
> about
> >> the feud between Congress/NSUI and BJP/ABVP. And yes you right in your
> >> revised assumption that only these parties bring the campus to stand
> >> still
> >> on the non-issues.
> >> ---- Original Message -----
> >> From: "Aditya Raj Kaul" <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> >> To: <reader-list at sarai.net>
> >> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 10:50 AM
> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
> >>
> >>
> >> > Have you ever wondered why the Ujjain Murder Case of Prof. Sabharwal
> >> > has
> >> > yet
> >> > not been solved ? You may say that Madhya Pradesh has a BJP let Govt.
> >> > which
> >> > controls everything directly or indirectly and influences every step
> >> > taken.
> >> > But, for your information; the case is now in Supreme Court and yet
> no
> >> > Justice. As I was personally linked with fighting the cases of
> Jessica
> >> > Lall
> >> > and Priyadarshini Mattoo; I tried to help Prof. Sabharwal's son in
> this
> >> > case
> >> > but unfortunately it was nothing much then a Congress -BJP tussle.
> I've
> >> > seen
> >> > the video recordings of the entire episode much before and even after
> >> the
> >> > incident. The whole episode has many negative elements apart from
> ABVP
> >> > which
> >> > have played a strong role. I've also met the senior advocate of
> supreme
> >> > court who happens to be the lawyer of Sabharwal's even he is tired of
> >> this
> >> > BJP-Congress game. You'll have to investigate it further before mere
> >> > playing
> >> > of blame game.
> >> >
> >> > We both agree to disagree with each other. But, its for sure that in
> >> > today's
> >> > senario be it NSUI, ABVP or for that matter the left SFI; they have
> >> > lost
> >> > their track and are directionless moving in this democracy. They
> >> > blindly
> >> > go
> >> > on the way their masters want them get in. The crores of monet spent
> on
> >> > glamourous student body elections especially in Delhi is well known
> to
> >> > all.
> >> > And, still this silence. It speaks volumes about the stumbling
> system.
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> >
> >> > On 3/3/08, TaraPrakash <taraprakash at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >>
> >> >> Very peaceful in deed. They peacefully murder teachers and students.
> >> It's
> >> >> all about elections.
> >> >>
> >> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> >> From: "Aditya Raj Kaul" <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> >> >> To: <reader-list at sarai.net>
> >> >> Sent: Monday, March 03, 2008 4:38 AM
> >> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University History
> >> >>
> >> >>
> >> >> > Below is a newsitem from the Indian Express. Unlike SFI, ABVP has
> >> >> decided
> >> >> > to
> >> >> > launch peacefull college to college awareness campaign. Unlike
> left
> >> >> > lazy
> >> >> > and
> >> >> > violent left wing, ABVP looks at the broader picture of students
> >> >> > studies
> >> >> > which should not get affected. Its high time left cheap publicity
> >> >> seekers
> >> >> > wake up and do some brainstorming. God Bless All. :-)
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Remarks on Lord Ram in textbook: ABVP to hold protests in DU
> >> >> > colleges
> >> >> >  **
> >> >> > *Posted online: Monday , March 03, 2008 at 10:31:30
> >> >> > * **
> >> >> > *New Delhi, March 2* The ABVP is planning to hold protests across
> >> Delhi
> >> >> > University colleges against the inclusion of "atrocious" remarks
> on
> >> >> > Lord
> >> >> > Ram
> >> >> > in its history text books, activists said.'
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Twenty-four hours after being released from Tihar Jail, state
> joint
> >> >> > secretary of ABVP Vikas Dahiya—who was arrested on Tuesday for
> >> violent
> >> >> > protests in the university on the issue—said he wants the police
> to
> >> >> > take
> >> >> > action against the DU V-C Deepak Pental.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > He also demanded for action against head of the department
> (History)
> >> S
> >> >> > Z
> >> >> H
> >> >> > Jafri and Upinder Singh, daughter of Prime Minster Manmohan Singh,
> >> >> > whose
> >> >> > name is printed on the book as the compiler.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "We are planning to lodge an FIR against them for hurting the
> >> religious
> >> >> > sentiments of Hindus," Dahiya said at a press conference held at
> >> North
> >> >> > Campus today.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > From Monday, Vikas said, ABVP activists would visit at least two
> >> >> colleges
> >> >> > each day to seek support from principals and students for a
> >> >> > college-wise
> >> >> > demonstration.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Vikas alleged the Delhi Police and DU authorities were biased and
> >> said
> >> >> > that
> >> >> > though arrest warrants were issued against eight persons, there
> were
> >> >> only
> >> >> > five people in the building during the violence.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "When Amrita Bahri and Devraj Tehlan of the NSUI ran amok in the
> >> >> > History
> >> >> > Department last year, no action was taken against them," he
> claimed.
> >> >> >
> >> >> > Payal Mago, reader in DU and vice president of ABVP, said that if
> >> >> Upinder
> >> >> > Singh had not compiled the material as claimed by History
> >> >> > Department,
> >> >> > "what
> >> >> > took her so long to deny charges".
> >> >> >
> >> >> > "The book has been in circulation for around one and a half years.
> >> She
> >> >> > could
> >> >> > have corrected the mistake any time," she said.
> >> >> >
> >> >> >
> >> >> > On 3/3/08, radhikarajen at vsnl.net <radhikarajen at vsnl.net> wrote:
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> Hi, with one billion and more people, let there be that many
> >> Ramayanas
> >> >> in
> >> >> >> their freedom of expression and creativity, but the issue here is
> >> does
> >> >> >> freedom of expression is only to denigrete others faith. ? Those
> >> >> >> places
> >> >> >> of
> >> >> >> learning which are filled with chamchas and hangers on who deride
> >> >> >> hindu
> >> >> >> faith should write that many bibles and qurans also, that is
> >> >> >> secularism
> >> >> >> at
> >> >> >> work. !
> >> >> >> Regards.
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> ----- Original Message -----
> >> >> >> From: Prem Chandavarkar <prem.cnt at gmail.com>
> >> >> >> Date: Monday, March 3, 2008 9:58 am
> >> >> >> Subject: Re: [Reader-list] Assault upon the Delhi University
> >> >> >> History
> >> >> >> To: Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com>
> >> >> >> Cc: reader-list at sarai.net
> >> >> >>
> >> >> >> > On 03/03/2008, Aditya Raj Kaul <kauladityaraj at gmail.com> wrote:
> >> >> >> > >
> >> >> >> > > We were well know that originally there are only two
> Ramayan's
> >> >> >> > that we
> >> >> >> > > recognise; one by Tulsidas and another by Valmiki. There
> maybe
> >> >> >> > > a
> >> >> few
> >> >> >> > > hundred
> >> >> >> > > more stories based on poetry from various places etc. But,
> lets
> >> >> >> > for a
> >> >> >> > > change
> >> >> >> > > concentrate on the original source while studying history in
> an
> >> >> >> > > institution
> >> >> >> > > rather then secondary and modern opinions, translations etc
> >> >> >> > > etc.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > To me, such a statement is the heart of the problem, and is the
> >> >> >> > reason why
> >> >> >> > this discussion thread started in the first place.  It implies
> >> >> >> > that there is
> >> >> >> > a primary authoritative history which must be regarded, and
> many
> >> >> >> > secondaryhistories which can be immediately dismissed as
> inferior
> >> >> >> > and ignorable.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > Such a classification should also be accompanied by an ethical
> >> >> >> > and
> >> >> >> > intellectual justification of the basis on which it is
> made.  It
> >> >> >> > cannot be
> >> >> >> > merely stated that this must be so because it is a majority
> >> >> >> > belief
> >> >> >> > or a
> >> >> >> > historical imperative that has endured for ages, for that is
> the
> >> >> >> > argumentthat was used to defend colonialism, slavery and
> >> apartheid.
> >> >> >> >
> >> >> >> > Let me link this to an earlier thread on history and archive,
> and
> >> >> >> > put
> >> >> >> > forward the following proposition:  The archive is an ethical,
> >> >> >> > rather than
> >> >> >> > epistemological, imperative of history as a
> discipline.  History
> >> >> >> > cannot be
> >> >> >> > ethically validated without the discipline incorporating an
> >> >> >> > ongoing discourse on the basis of which something is to be
> >> >> >> > categorised as
> >> >> >> > archive, or dismissed as non-archive.
> >> >> >> > _________________________________________
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> >> >>
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